1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tablet automatic packing machine, and more particularly to an information input device for a tablet automatic packing machine capable of easily and directly storing tablet information in a memory chip installed to the tablet automatic packing machine and updating/reading the tablet information in/from the memory chip at a user side.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, tablet automatic packing machines serve to dispense corresponding tablets based on prescription data and to automatically pack them based on a dose of tablet. The construction of such a table automatic packing machine is described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which tablet cassettes are collected in a tablet automatic packing machine according to the prior art. As shown in the drawing, the tablet automatic packing machine 50 includes a plurality of shelves on the upper side of a case 52 shaped as a frame. Each of the plurality of shelves has a plurality of cassette supporters 60 installed thereon for mounting a plurality of tablet cassettes 70, respectively.
The case 52 has a hopper 56 thereunder, which collects tablets discharged from the plurality of cassettes 70 through the plurality of cassette supporters 60. The hopper 56 has a packing assembly 57 thereunder, which packs the collected tablets based on dosage units. Here, the packing assembly 57 includes a printing unit for printing information on each packing paper on which user should note instructions for taking the tablets, and a heater 58 for heat-sealing openings of the packing papers.
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a state in which tablet cassettes are installed to cassette supporters for the prior art tablet automatic packing machine. If the prior art tablet automatic packing machine determines that the quantity of tablets in a tablet cassette 20 is less than a predetermined value, a tablet cassette tag label 20a attached to one side of the tablet cassette 20 indicates tablet depletion therein in a light emission fashion. Here, a user separates a corresponding tablet cassette from a corresponding tablet supporter 10 and refills corresponding tablets therein. After wards, the user inserts the refilled tablet cassette 20 into the cassette supporter 10 based on recognition of the tablet cassette tag label 20a and the cassette supporter tag label 10a. 
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a tablet cassette is separated from a cassette supporter for a tablet automatic packing machine according to the first embodiment of the prior art. The tablet cassette 70 has a rotor 72 for guiding and dispensing corresponding tablets, which is installed therewithin, a memory chip 75 and a terminal 77 electrically connected to the memory chip 75, which are installed on the lower surface of the table cassette 70. The tablet cassette supporter 60 includes a motor 64 for rotating the rotor 72, which is installed therewithin, and a tablet discharging unit 62 for discharging tablets. The tablet discharging unit 62 includes a tablet discharging hole formed therein and a sensor unit 66 formed around the tablet discharging hole. The sensor unit 66 includes a light reception unit 66a and light emitting unit 66b such that they can perform a sensing operation for tablets discharged through the discharging hole. Also, the tablet cassette supporter 60 includes a connector 67 installed on the upper surface thereof. A passage 54 for downwardly dispensing tablets discharged from the cassette supporter 60 through the tablet discharging unit 62 is formed in the inside of the case 52.
In the case that the table cassette 70 is coupled to the tablet cassette supporter 60, the terminal 77 mounting the memory chip 75 thereon is connected to the connector 67 of the tablet cassette supporter 60 such that tablet information stored in the memory chip 75 can be transmitted to a controlling unit (not shown) of the tablet automatic packing machine. Therefore, since a memory chip 75 storing information of tablets contained in a tablet cassette 20 can be connected to a connector of any of the tablet cassette supporters, the tablet cassette and the tablet cassette supporter need not to be assembled so that their tag labels are consistent with each other.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a tablet cassette is separated from a cassette supporter for a tablet automatic packing machine according to the second embodiment of the prior art. The configuration of FIG. 4 employs the same reference numerals as those of FIG. 3 with respect to the same elements. Since a terminal 68 electrically connected to a memory chip 65 is directly mounted on the tablet cassette supporter 60, the tablet cassette 70 must be coupled to the tablet cassette supporter 60 while their tag labels are consistent with each other. Before the tablet automatic packing machines constructed as described above are sold, information of tablets to be contained in the tablet cassettes, such as tablet information, tablet cassette identification number, tablet name, sensitivity/minimum sensing time/sensing period etc. of a sensor for sensing tablet discharge, is recorded in each of the memory chips installed in the automatic packing machines by an exclusive input device. However, as a variety of new tablets have been developed, tablet information must be frequently updated or newly stored in the memory chips.
However, there is no known separate input device for storing/updating tablet information to the respective memory chips. Therefore, if there is a need to update information stored in the respective memory chips of the respective cassette supporters, the prior art tablet automatic packing machine must be sent to the manufacturer or a sales agency. Accordingly, the prior art tablet automatic packing machine has disadvantages in that the update procedure is complicated, and update of tablet information stored in the memory chip is delayed. Also, since it must be sent to the manufacturer or a sales agency to update tablet information, the dispenser cannot dispense the tablets according to prescription data using the prior art tablet automatic packing machine because it is being updated.
Also, the prior art tablet automatic packing machine doesn't provide the user with the convenience of being able to easily confirm tablet information stored in the memory. In addition, if it is difficult to recognize tablet information through tag labels 10a and/or 20a attached to a cassette supporter 10 and/or tablet cassette 20, the user must find, one by one, the cassette supporter 10 having a memory chip storing corresponding information of tablets contained in the tablet cassette 20.